


We'll Stand By You

by Rebekah_Zellers



Category: NCIS
Genre: Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Hypoglycemia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 06:08:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29273736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rebekah_Zellers/pseuds/Rebekah_Zellers
Summary: The fine tuned gut of team Gibbs & DiNozzo finds a friend in critical need.
Comments: 14
Kudos: 60





	We'll Stand By You

A shiver ran down Jethro’s spine, looking around the bullpen, he was at a loss as to what was making his gut churn. Turning his gaze from McGee to Tony, he watched as his SFA shivered; confirmation that something was amiss.

“Gibbs,” Tony spoke up. “Mind if I go on a coffee run?”

“Nope,” Gibbs watched from the corner of his eye as Tony grabbed his badge, gun, wallet, and badge. Waiting until the elevator door closed, Gibbs grabbed his gun and badge so that he could cover Tony’s six. The elevator deposited Gibbs outside of the security check point and revealed Tony listening intently to something that the guard was saying.

“Anything?” Gibbs watched as Tony shook his head and started looking around. “Let’s check on everyone,” Gibbs sighed as he pulled his gun and started towards the lab with Tony on his six. “Kasie? You okay in here?”

“I am,” the forensic scientist jumped at the sight of the guns. “What’s wrong?”

“Something is off,” Tony explained. “Gut is churning, his too.”

“I have cameras,” Kasie started working her way through the different areas of the agency. “Bishop, Torres and McGee are okay, just being their strange selves. Do not tell him that I can do this, it’s video only. Director Vance seems okay, he’s busy working. Delores is in her office working on reports that are due. Dr. Mallard is on his treadmill. Jimmy……is… on the floor.”

“Keep us on that video feed,” yelled as he headed for the door. “You get us back up if you feel it is necessary.” Running for autopsy with Gibbs ahead of him, Tony hit the corner with his gun drawn and Gibbs covering his six.

“Clear,” Gibbs yelled as he checked the storage closets. 

“Clear,” Tony called out as he checked the offices. “Drawers.”

One by one, the agents opened the refrigerated drawers checking for danger. “Clear,” both agents yelled in unison as they made their way over to Jimmy.

“He’s got a pulse,” Gibbs stated as he felt of his neck. “I don’t see any wounds.”

Looking around, Tony jumped up and made his way to the desk against the far wall. “His glucometer is out, looks like his numbers were low this morning.” Pulling a pouch from the side drawer, Tony pulled a small tube of cake icing from the pouch and grabbed a glove. 

“Spreading icing on his gums will boost his sugar level,” Tony explained as he worked on his friend. “Give him a couple minutes to come around. His last blood sugar reading was ten minutes ago, it was 54. As soon as he comes around, I am going to go get him something to eat.”

“He take too much insulin?” Gibbs questioned, confused about Jimmy’s current condition, impressed at Tony’s knowledge, curious as to why Tony knew so much.

“Probably didn’t eat enough,” Tony sighed. “Sometimes, he has a hard time getting breakfast down, said it’s been an issue all his life.”

“Oh God,” Palmer groaned as he started to shiver on the cold floor.

“Ducky is on his way,” Tony reassured as he glanced on his phone before signing a thank you to Kasie. “Let’s get you up off the floor.”

“We got you,” Gibbs stood, taking Palmer with him. “Easy, get your footing. Lean into me, I got you.”

“Agent Gibbs,” Palmer gasped as he pulled away. “Whoa, dizzy.”

“Sit down,” Gibbs pushed a chair behind his younger friend. “Where’s Ducky?”

“Can I check your numbers?” Tony proceeded with a practiced ease that concerned Gibbs. Was there something about his agent that he didn’t know. “Sixty-two, moving in the right direction. I am going to go get you some lunch, I will be right back.”

“Mr. Palmer,” Ducky made his way to his friend. “Let’s see what we have here, my boy. Yes, that is better than the previous.” Studying the glucometer, Ducky placed it on the desk before examining his patient. “Anthony has gone to get you some lunch, why don’t you get some rest while you wait for him. Perhaps, it would be best if you used the sofa in your office.”

“Come on,” Gibbs helped the shaky man to his feet. “We’ll wait in there for Tony to come back. Might as well get comfortable, he could be a while if he sees a pretty lady.”

“He’s not as big of a player as you think,” Palmer whispered as he leaned on Jethro for support. “He’s a good friend.”

“I know,” Gibbs sat next to Palmer, smiling when he felt a head rest on his shoulder. “I got you, it’s okay now.”

“Always got us,” Palmer mumbled in his sleep. 

“He’ll be tired for a while, Jethro. Once Anthony brings lunch, he will feel better. It’s lucky that you were here.” Ducky gently checked the young man’s pulse. “Just as it should be.”

“Duck,” Gibbs sighed. “How’d Tony know what to do?”

“My dear friend,” Ducky pulled up a chair. “When you took your Mexican sabbatical, the boys became very good friends. With friendship comes knowledge when one of the friends has special issues. Anthony came to me, he had me teach him everything that he needed to know just in case.”

“Has he had to use it before today?” Gibbs gently moved Palmer so that he is head was in his lap while Ducky moved his legs up on the sofa. “Duck?”

“No,” Ducky shook his head. “Anthony has been able to see the warning signs of impending issues. I am sure you have seen him randomly give Mr. Palmer some juice or make a lunch run stopping in autopsy first. He has been very sensitive to his needs.”

“Could you teach me too?” Lightly stroking Palmer’s hair, Gibbs could feel his overly protective father instinct fighting to get out of control. “Just in case.”

“I can,” Ducky sighed. “It may be more beneficial to have Anthony teach you. He has been able to fine tune his skills to detecting things with Jimmy long before I do. He will be fine, Jethro. When he wakes up, we will find out what happened and see what we can do to correct it from happening again.”

“I’m back,” Tony walked in with several bags of food. “I ordered it as I left so it was almost ready. How’s he doing? He gets so worn out by those episodes.”

“I do believe he is going to be just fine,” Ducky stood to unpack the food trusting that Tony would do what friends do.

“Jimmy,” Tony gently shook his friend. “Gremlin, I have food. Go slow.” 

Sitting up, Palmer fixed his glasses on his face as he tried to get acclimated to his surroundings. Taking his food from Gibbs, he nodded in appreciation as he started working on the sandwich. 

“What happened?” Tony asked as he gave his friend his drink. “It’s not been that bad since I have known you.”

“Bad morning,” Palmer shrugged. “Breena was mad that I had to work so she wasn’t talking to me. Victoria spilled her milk all over my breakfast. By the time I got it cleaned up, I went to grab something to eat on the go and we had nothing. I didn’t have time to stop, I was going to be late.”

“So, you figured you would get something on a break,” Tony sighed. “Your blood sugar tanked before you could go pick anything up.”

“I’m sorry,” Palmer’s hands started to tremble causing Gibbs to steady the one holding the drink. “Thank you.”

“I’ve had those days,” Gibbs whispered. “Shannon used to get mad at me for putting my clothes on for the day. It never failed, when I didn’t have time to spare, she would go across the street to talk to her friend, Kelly would spill her food and drink all over me, the floor and herself. I would have to change my uniform, clean her and the floor up. By the time I got out the door, I was so stressed out that eating slipped my mind.”

“I don’t even know why she was mad,” Palmer sighed. “It’s a workday, I didn’t have the day off.”

“Take a drink,” Gibbs tightened his hand around Palmer’s and the drink. “Let it go, she probably forgot what she was mad about by now.”

“I’ll make some spaghetti and meatballs,” Tony watched for Palmer’s face to break into a smile. “You know she can’t resist my sauce and Victoria loves her Uncle Tony.”

“Thank you,” Palmer nodded as he took a big drink. “All of you, I can’t thank you enough.”

“Hey Jimmy,” Kasie knocked on the door. “You feeling better?”

“Lunch is on the desk, Kasie.” Tony pointed to the loan bag. “Join us.”

“I heard what you said,” Kasie took a seat on the floor with her food. “I am going to stock snacks and drinks in my lab, if you have a natural disaster at home come get breakfast. That goes for any of you if you need to eat come to my lab. If you need a place to rest, I have a cot. You do work a lot of hours, sometimes I don’t know how you stand on your own two feet.”

The color was returning to Palmer’s face, the trembling in his hands had ceased and Gibbs was able to let go. Standing to throw his trash away, Jimmy felt his heart swell when Gibbs stood with him to help him get steady on his feet. “Thank you, Agent Gibbs.”

“Stop beating yourself up about home,” Gibbs whispered in his friend’s ear. “I look after my family, just know that.”

The weakness in Palmer’s knees had nothing to do with his hypoglycemic crisis. “Thank you.” It was a whisper, but the one that needed to hear it, heard it.


End file.
